Thursday, September 24, 2015

“As the morning dew faded, a group of riders in the Tuscan...

"As the morning dew faded, a group of riders in the Tuscan hills polished their boots, groomed their horses and swung into their saddles. Their task: driving Maremmana #cows — a local breed famous for their large bellies and long, lyre-shaped horns — to the nearest #pasture. But this wasn't just any #cattle drive. The riders, professional #cowboys, horse performers and breeders from Italy and France, were participating in an ancient tradition called the "transumanza," or the seasonal moving of cattle from one land to another. While the dayslong drive through #Tuscany's marshlands and steep paths was once a necessity of life, today it is done mostly to keep the tradition alive and to maintain an essential link to the land. "It's not nostalgia," said Ernesto Benini Galeffi, who was photographed by Nadia Shira Cohen while on #nytassignment. "We take to the past to improve our future." #transumanza #🐮" By nytimes on Instagram.